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If you were to asked to name the best laughable book movie of 1994 , then it ’s likely the pic that you ’ll pick isThe Maskstarring Jim Carrey . That plausibly was the effective , but the runner - up isTimecop , the sci - fi film starring Jean - Claude Van Damme as a man who cash in one’s chips back in prison term to land criminals to justice in the future .
TheTimecopcomic was only a three - part chronicle by Dark Horse Comics publishing house Mike Richardson and screenwriter Mark Verheiden , with fine art by Ron Randall . However , based on the strength of that cogent evidence of construct , Richardson and Verheiden co - wrote the celluloid and institute it to Universal Pictures , where Peter Hyams was signed to aim it . Jean - Claude Van Damme was subsequently signed to star in the pic , and it was a modest hit in 1994 .
Universal
But in the intervening decades , The Maskhas remain pop whileTimecophas slipped into obscurity . gratefully , Timecopis still readily available to pour for anyone who want to revisit the film . And on the occasion ofTimecop‘s 30th anniversary this week , we ’re sharing the reasons why it still holds up .
The film has a great sci-fi premise
It ’s easy to see whyTimecopwas given the green light by Universal Pictures . While the original comic was only a individual story , its assumption is tailor - made for a celluloid . Timecop‘s title state you just what the movie is about : a pig who pass away back in prison term to prevent time - travel crime from changing the future .
The scientific discipline behind the premise is a small wonky , and it ’s a little difficult to explain how the time travelling technical school plant . But we do n’t ask Neil deGrasse Tyson ’s approving to have a effective meter at the cinema . All you want to know is that in 1994 , the government activity became cognizant of attempt to transfer the yesteryear and work the Time Enforcement Commission to send agent back in time to get chronicle back on cartroad . It ’s such an irresistible setup that it even led to a little - livedTimecopTV series on ABC , back when connection television did n’t really back up shows like that .
Timecop is peak Van Damme
Most of Jean - Claude Van Damme ’s motion-picture show tend to orb around his characters getting into warriorlike arts fighting and retaliate himself or his loved single in a last showdown with some bad guy wire . There ’s some of that inTimecopas well . And there are also scenes in this movie where Van Damme is kind of showing off what he can do , including the minute he does the splits in his underclothing while fighting the assassins who come to kill him .
But whatever you opine about Van Damme , he ’s not a black golf hole of charisma like Steven Seagal . It ’s gentle to sympathise with his character , agent Max Walker . We get to see him as an innocent younger cop in 1994 , and as a more cynical time agent in 2004 . Van Damme still catch to kick back a lot of seat , but he ’s also given more to do as a performing artist thanks to these two dissimilar role . accordingly , Timecophas some of the good performing you ’ll ever see out of Van Damme . This is the martial artist / actor at his best .
Ron Silver gives two different villainous performances
The late Ron Silver look like he was have the time of his animation while playing two different versions ofTimecop‘s main scoundrel , Sen. Aaron McComb . The thing that makes Silver ’s performance work are the panorama that sort out the two McCombs . Senator McComb ’s jr. ego is tainted and a despicable politician with a fearful side , while his honest-to-god similitude is more bluff and openly malevolent .
Because this is a clip traveling story , the two sides of Silver ’s eccentric do get the probability to occur face - to - face , and it gives the picture show some of its best moments . Both incarnations of McComb are malign — it ’s just more fun to watch his sure-enough ego fully dwell that side of his personality .
The movie embraces its ridiculous side without being a farce
At 98 minutes long , Timecopneither overstays its welcome nor over - excuse the story . It gives the audience just enough information to follow the movie and come along for the drive . Contemporary critics called it brainless entertainment , and that ’s not entirely false . This film could have easily fall savourless on its face if not for one thing : It does n’t take itself too in earnest .
Timecopdoes have a few moments of humor that keep it from getting too dark , and it also does n’t apologize for having such an audacious premise . The creative team wisely resisted the enticement to throw in too many jokes , which would have killed any dramatic play that the story had . Instead , it ’s dumbfound a practiced residual of acknowledging some of the story ’s ridiculous moments without letting that get in the audience ’s fashion . That ’s whyTimecopis still fun to watch three decades subsequently .
WatchTimecoponPrime Video . Need more recommendations ? Then watch out thebest action movies on Netflix , thebest action movies on Disney+ , and thebest action at law motion picture on Hulu .
